Breastfeeding: when did your periods return?

[squirrel.]

Hi ladies,

Just curious when you got your period back post baby if you are/were breastfeeding?

With my son they didn't come back till he completely stopped feeding at 13 months (period came about three weeks later). I'm exclusively breastfeeding again, but my daughter goes a lot longer through the night between feeds (5 hours some nights), which I'm hoping will kick start my periods sooner. We're hoping for a small gap between our little girl and our third (and final) baby. For that to happen I need to ovulate

What has been your experience?

And is there any way to get ovulation to start without stopping breastfeeding I wonder?

 

[Pielette]

My period came back 11 months postpartum. Milo was still feeding twice a day at that point. I was panicking that I'd have to stop feeding altogether to get it to come back but thankfully it kicked into gear by itself!

I didn't do anything to make it come back, just did it on its own timescale I guess.

 

[willowblossom]

i have only just stopped breastfeeding and still no period yet! I am nearly 8 months pp xx

 

[Pearls18]

With my first they returned 2 weeks after I stopped feeding in the day so at 8 months, my second he went on a hunger strike at 5 months old from teething for over 12 hours, my periods returned 2 weeks later despite still EBF and they've been regular ever since.

 

[SpringCrane]

My period starting 6 weeks post-partum even though I was exclusively breastfeeding, and they were immediately regular... boo!

 

[Eleanor ace]

6 weeks with my 1st, 9 weeks with my 2nd.

 

[pixiefairy]

I was starting to feel like a weirdo ha! Mine came back 7 weeks post-partum.

 

[sue_88]

10m when I stopped feeding x

 

[lau86]

6 months I presume because he eats soooo much and was sleeping through the night. Think it was similar with my first.

 

[jessicatunnel]

6 months, it's just come and gone! I was hoping it would stay gone a while longer!

 

[fieryphoenix]

19 months here and nothing yet

 

[staralfur]

13 months though still veeeery irregular at nearly 29 months (my LO feeds 3x a day). The last few months my cycle has been 40 days, before that it was 21. So I have no friggin' clue when I ovulate.

 

[Bevziibubble]

16 months for me.

 

[purdy82]

Exclusively BF and they returned at 6 weeks - boooo.

 

[LittleNikki]

I stopped breastfeeding over a month ago and still not come back, is that normal? I do gey cramps and things but been off and on for a few weeks

 

[squirrel.]

Thanks ladies! So different for everyone. I wonder if because mine didn't return till I stopped breast feeding last time they won't this time either. I hope not. I want to feed my daughter till at least a year like I did my son. Maybe if they haven't returned by 6 months I could try expressing loads so she can have bottles and then try not feeding her for 12 hours that might kick start things without damaging my supply too much?

 

[embeth]

8 months with first when stopped feeding at night, 2 years with second, he fed until 2&1/2 this bun will
Be one in a couple of weeks and has stopped feeding all day in the last week or so but still feeds on and off at night.. No signs yet!!

 

[embeth]

Just to add I conceived my second and had only had spotting not a proper period so was obviously ovulating still, u may find that you will still ovulate once your lo is a bit older without actually having regular periods xx

 

[mamaduke]

With DS1, my period returned at around 6 weeks and was regular after that. With DS2, my period returned at 7 weeks and has been fairly regular, with the exception of skipping a month (probably more likely missed due to stress rather than BFing).

DS1 was and DS2 is EBF.

I've inherited the genes in my family where BFing doesn't seem to stop periods.

 

[Rickles]

8 / 9 months. I EBF til 14 months - but they came back when DD stopped feeing in the night xx